BYU softball: Cougars sweep Thunderbirds

BYU women's softball swept Southern Utah in its doubleheader on Tuesday at Gail Miller Field. The Cougars won 10-2 and 8-2 and extended the winning streak over the Thunderbirds to 32-straight games.

"We played well. It was nice to see," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Obviously on the mound, McKenna Bull had a really good day. Offensively, Carly Duckworth was on fire, taking the extra base, base hit after base hit, smart plays. Carly had a really good day."

In the nightcap, Megan Arnold was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and set a career high in hits, while Duckworth also went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Duckworth tied her career high with her three hits.

BYU struck first in the second inning as Duckworth doubled, moved to third on an Arnold single and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars scored three more runs in the third inning. Bravo reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a single by Katie Manuma and scored on an errant throw by the shortstop. Arnold followed with a bloop single into center to score two more runs and make it 4-0. Sydney Broderick homered to left field with two outs in the fourth to make it 5-0.

Southern Utah's Madison Resley hit a two-out, two-run homer in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-2.

BYU came right back for three insurance runs in the sixth inning. Manuma doubled in a run before she and Mercedes O'Connor came around to score on a single from Duckworth for an 8-2 lead.

Bull came in for a five-out save, allowing one hit and striking out two. Tori Almond started the game and earned the win with 5.1 innings pitched with six hits, five strikeouts, four walks and two earned runs.

In the opener, Broderick went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base. Manuma drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double in the second inning.

The Cougars broke open the game in the second inning scoring six runs. McKenzie St. Clair walked, Duckworth doubled and St. Clair scored on a single from Coco Tauali'i. Duckworth scored on a sacrifice fly and Broderick scored on a single up the middle by Gordy Bravo to make it 4-1. The Thunderbirds walked the bases loaded before Manuma cleared them with a three-run double to right for the 7-1 advantage.

The Cougars opened the scoring in the first inning with a single and a stolen base from Broderick. Ashley Thompson drove in Broderick with a single to right for a 1-0 lead.

Southern Utah broke Bull's streak of 19 innings without allowing an earned run, when it pushed a run across on a groundout in the second inning. Bull finished the game with three hits, one walk and six strikeouts in five innings of work to earn the win.

BYU added three runs in the fifth to finish the game as Broderick singled in two runs before the Cougars loaded the bases once again. Ashlee Robinson scored on a wild pitch for the final 10-2 margin.

BYU returns to Gail Miller Field for its next game on Friday at 5 p.m. to take on Weber State. The game will be broadcast live on BYUtv.

Spencer Shamo is a Communications major at BYU and the BYU softball SID.